LINCOLN PIPESTONE RURAL WATER SYSTEM

East Highway 14, P.O. Box 188, Lake Benton, MN 56149

                (507) 368-4248 or (800) 462-0309                 fax (507) 368-4573                                  email:  lprw@itctel.com

 

 

 

MEETING MINUTES

June 27, 2005

 

The regular scheduled meeting of the Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water (LPRW) System Board of Commissioners was held at the LPRW office in Lake Benton on Monday, June 27, 2005 starting at 6:30 p.m. Chairman Rod Spronk called the meeting to order with Commissioners Bill Ufkin, Earl De Wilde, Charlie Simonson, Leonard Swenson, Henry Van Dyke, Jerry Lonneman, Mike Brunner, Frank Engels and Joe Weber present.   Commissioner Ken Buysse was absent.  Also present were Board Attorney, Ron Schramel; DGR engineer, John Madden; Field Superintendents, Don Drietz and Tom Muller; and CEO, Dennis Healy.

 

Agenda:  M/S/P Engels/Weber to approve the Agenda as presented.

 

Minutes:  M/S/P Ufkin/Brunner to approve the minutes of the May 23, 2005 regular Board meeting.

 

Treasurer's Report:  M/S/P Lonneman/Swenson to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented.

 

Bills:  M/S/P Engels/Simonson to approve the following bills for payment:

·   DeWild Grant Reckert and Associates Company: Adrian Well #7, ppe #5 = $205.00; General Services #47 = $3,570.58

·   McDonald, Gudmestad & Schramel: General Legal Services = $1,162.80

·   Liesch Associates Inc.: Burr Wells #8 & #9 permits = $864.50; Research & General Assistance = $1,228.50; Adrian Well #7, ppe #8 & #9 = $2,839.10

·   Robert L. Carr Co.: Burr WTP Schedule E-Chemical Feed & Monitoring, ppe #2 = $14,820.00

·   Vessco, Inc.: Burr WTP Schedule F-Lime System Upgrade, ppe #1 = $13,240.00

·   US Bank:  Nobles County GO Refunding Bonds of 2003 = $45,338.75

 

Attorney’s Report:  Ron Schramel reported to the Board on the following issues:

 

•   Schramel presented lease agreements for the Holland and Verdi C.R.P. acreages for the Board’s review and action.  M/S/P Lonneman/Van Dyke to lease the Holland C.R.P. acreage to Glenn Krog for $51.00 per acre, and to lease the Verdi C.R.P. acreage to Randy Kraus for $55.00 per acre.  The leases are subject to FSA approval.

•   Delinquent accounts were reviewed and discussed.  M/S/P Brunner/Engels to assess account #273.07 ($50.71) and account #1456 ($51.30) to the property taxes for collection in 2006 unless they are paid in full or an acceptable payment plan is approved, and to write off account #1456 as a uncollectible.  M/S/P Ufkin/Brunner to assess account #32.02 ($5,753.96) to the property taxes for collection in 2006 unless the account is paid in full.

•   An amendment to the Adrian Water Purchase Agreement was reviewed.  M/S/P Lonneman/Swenson to approve the AMENDMENT TO WATER PURCHASE AGREEMENT and authorize Healy to work with the City to implement the Agreement and the Amendment.  Healy presented a list of 16 scheduled and pending hookups in the Holland service area with his recommendation that they be hooked up based on the support from the City of Adrian and the benefits provided by the new Chandler booster.  M/S/P Ufkin/Lonneman to authorize the connection of the new hookups based on the recommendation of the staff.

•   The dispute with ECI over final quantities was discussed, and Schramel noted that little progress has been made to date.

•   A potential new hookup north of Canby that had been denied service has requested that the Board reconsider his request.  The Board authorized the staff to install the hookup if they are satisfied that the installation can be done safely and on our terms.

•   A proposal from DGR to participate in the settlement of the ECI dispute if they are released from any other claims or counterclaims was reviewed by the Board.  The Board took no action on the proposal, and they directed Healy to write a response to the letter.

 

 

Engineer’s Report: John Madden reported on the following items.

 

•  NE Expansion and GIS/GPS: John Madden reported that the Burr WTP projects are completed except for some work on Schedule E that will be completed when water use goes down.

 

•   2005 System Improvements and Expansion:  DGR will work with LPRW staff to move the project along.

 

•  Adrian:  On hold.

 

•   Chandler and Ivanhoe Boosters:  The Chandler booster is on-line, and the Ivanhoe booster should be on-line in July.

 

•  Edgerton Interconnection:  On hold.

 

•  Rock County Rural Water:  On hold.

 

•  Boyd Connection:  The City of Boyd has approved the agreement to connect to the LPRW system.  M/S/P DeWilde/Engels to approve the engineering agreement with DGR so the project can proceed.

 

Regional Water Development:

 

Field Superintendents’ Report:  Don Drietz and Tom Muller reported on the following items:

·   A billing dispute on a tile repair was discussed.

·   Muller reported that one summer employee has been hired.

·    

CEO’s Report:

·   Healy reported that the NE Phase Project grant funds have been spent, and the final drawdown will be requested this month.

·   The Lewis & Clark project is being constructed although federal funding continues to lag behind budget needs.  The Lewis & Clark Rural Water System Minnesota Systems Board will meet in Luverne on July 11th, and all Board members are invited because there will be a bus tour of the Lewis & Clark construction sites.

·   Healy presented information on fleet fuel credit cards.  M/S/P DeWilde/Simonson to authorize Healy to procure fleet fueling cards for the system.

·   Healy requested authorization to start advertising for a new water operator as per the 2005 Budget.  M/S/P Lonneman/Brunner to authorize advertisement for a water operator.

 

Committee Reports: The following committee reports were given:  M/S/P Engels/Swenson to have all committees meet at 6:00 p.m. on July 18th at the Ivanhoe Community Center.

Executive Committee: No report.

Water Resources and Equipment Committee: No report.

Personnel Committee: No report.

Budget & Finance Committee:  No Report

Minnesota Rural Water Association, Board Representative: Leonard Swenson noted that the next MRWA meeting is scheduled for July 21st.

 

Other:

·   M/S/P Weber/Engels to authorize the “very high” meal rates for those attending the National Rural Water Association Conference in Sacramento.

 

Adjournment:  M/S/P Lonneman/Simonson to adjourn the meeting at 10:30 p.m.  The next Regular Board meeting will be Monday, July 25, 2005 at 6:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                         ____________________________________________

                                                                                                Joe Weber, Secretary